Can irregular periods be regular?

[piperr42]

Hi Nurse Nettie!

I wanted to know, can having an irregular period actually be your ‘regular’?

(For some context): I was on the pill for around a year and went off it around 6 months ago. Since then, my periods have been whacked – I went 100 days without bleeding, then 25 then back to around 50, although when I told my GP they said it was just my body adjusting to going off the pill.

Even before I went on the pill, I always had irregular periods (varying from 30-50 days). My Mum told me that she and her mum also had really irregular periods and that that was their ‘normal’. I do use a period tracker on my phone, and every time I have a long time between my periods, I get a notification saying that I may want to see a doctor. Do I trust this? Or is it safe for me to assume that my ‘regular’ is having irregular periods?

Thanks so much!

[Nurse_Nettie]

That’s a great question! When it comes to periods we say a “normal” cycle can vary between 21 to 42 days. Coming off the Pill you’d usually expect your cycle to normalise within about three months. There are factors that contribute to irregular periods like travelling or weight loss or even intense physical exercise. There are also some pretty common medical conditions like PCOS that can cause irregular periods. I’d recommend bringing it up with your GP again and make sure they understand that it’s always been irregular.

[piperr42]

Thanks so much, Nurse Nettie! That’s really helpful, I will definitely speak with my GP about it- as from what I know I don’t have any medical conditions!!

[YogiGirl]

Hi @piperr42, i’m in a similar situation at the moment. I came off the pill in August and have not had a period since. I’m wondering how long I should leave it for my body to adjust to the change of no contraceptive pill before getting a checkup with my GP. @nurse_nettie you mentioned it could take 2-3 months, but is it sometimes the case for it to be longer? I feel normal in myself and have not had any other symptoms but have been very stressed due so thinking this may be a factor.

[Nurse_Nettie]

Hi @YogiGirl, if you haven’t had your period in three months, it’s best to check in with a GP. There are a lot of different reasons you can miss periods. It could be related to stress or adjusting to coming off the pill, but there are hormonal conditions that can cause this too. Is there any chance you could be pregnant? Know 4 Sure is a useful reference if you think you might be pregnant, but keep in mind, it’s from QLD so the referrals aren’t good for NSW.

Three months without a period isn’t typical so it’s important to check in with a doctor. I’d recommend starting with your GP or a doctor a Family Planning Clinic or Women’s Health Centre.

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